FINANCIAL TIMES
SATURDAY JANUARY 29 2000
SECURITY: Protesters upstage Clinton
By Lionel Barber in Davos
Mr Clinton's speech was delayed by an extraordinary sit-in protest by delegates gathered in Davos. The delegates, who included some of the richest and most powerful business leaders in the world, refused to move out of the main conference hall to make way for the US secret service who wanted to carry out a security sweep.
Amid boos and cries of "No way" and "Remember Seattle", the delegates expressed outrage that the US secret service intended to repeat the already formidable security checks of the Swiss army and police on guard in the conference centre.
After a 20 minute stand-off, Lance Knobel, one of the chief conference organisers, announced a retreat, declaring that the delegates could stay as long as they vacated the first five rows in the conference hall.
The incident marked a rare defeat for the formidable US secret service who have total control of the president's security at home and abroad. But it summed up a more general feeling in Davos that the Americans may have the most powerful economy in the world, but there are limits.
"I have not been involved in a sit-in like this since university," said one sun-tanned European CEO, relishing the victory.
Copyright the Financial Times Limited 2000